Fourteen years ago, Suzette Decker organized a neighborhood garage sale that included 30 friends and neighbors. Since then, Decker has found a few more people to join in — about 1,000 of them.
Decker’s KidStuff Sale consignment events draw that many vendors to its events, with a spring and fall event each in Buckner, Louisville and Southern Indiana.
The Louisville event is the original, and has grown to about 24,000 square feet of selling space. Oldham County’s event takes place at the YMCA in Buckner with up to 20,000 square feet of tot-to-teen apparel and toys.
This year’s event is Thursday, Sept. 28, through Saturday, Oct. 1.
“It’s a win-win situation,” said employee Stephanie Ottersbach. “Moms can sell items and buy what they need.”
Ottersbach, a Crestwood resident, was hired by Decker several years ago to help with the expanding company, especially the Buckner event.
“It’s moms helping moms,” she said. The event’s focus is on staying local and helping families sell what they don’t need and have money to buy what they do.
The KidStuff Sale is unique in how consignors can choose their level of involvement. They register for the event online, then enter their items into a database.
Then the online system allows users to print their own barcodes to tag their items.
Ottersbach said the electronic system makes selling items easy by managing inventory and allowing sellers to see what inventory they have left.
As a bonus, unsold inventory doesn’t need to be retagged for future KidStuff Sales.
Consignors can earn up to 85 percent of sales, Ottersbach said, by working at the event for 16 hours during the 80-hour event. Those consignors working 12-16 hours get to shop the pre-sale first, followed by those working fewer hours.
“The two-and-a-half pre-sale days are our biggest sales days,” Ottersbach said.
Those not selling at the event can still get in early with a $5 donation to Kosair Charities. That option will get shoppers in on Wednesday at noon, while the public event opens Friday.
Shoppers can find an extensive selection of kid-related items, Ottersbach said. “Halloween costumes, snow boots and ski pants are always big this time of year.”
Many toys arrive still in packages, so Ottersbach said people will do some early Christmas shopping at the event.
Furniture, movies, books, electronic games, instruments and sporting equipment will all be available.
“It’s become such a community event,” Ottersbach said.
The event uses all local vendors, including printers and moving companies. Any unsold items that consignors don’t want back are donated to local charities.
This year’s Oldham County event begins with volunteer pre-sales Sept. 27, consignor pre-sales Sept. 28, and the public event Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Hours for pre-sale events vary but can be found on the KidStuff website.
Hours for the public event are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 through Oct. 1.
While Ottersbach recommends coming early for the largest selection, those who wait till Saturday day will find many items marked 50 percent off.
The event will be held at the Buckner YMCA’s indoor soccer arena. For more information visit www.kidstuffsale.com.

Rows of Exersaucers, music tables and other toddler toys on display during a previous KidStuff Sale.